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Thursday, January 03, 2013

JOHAN CRUYFF SET TO RESIGN AS CATALONIA COACH AFTER 1-1 DRAW AGAINST NIGERIA

The Netherlands football legend, Johan Cruyff believes Wednesday night's 1-1 draw between Catalonia and the super eagles of Nigeria will be his last game as a coach.

Cruyff, who starred as a player for Barcelona before
guiding the club to their first European Cup as manager, has been in
charge of the Catalonia representative side for three years but will now
step down.

The 65-year-old has had a long association with the
region, and famously named his son Jordi against the wishes of the
Spanish government in 1974. He said he was proud of spell as coach,
during which time Catalonia have gone unbeaten through friendlies with
Argentina, Honduras, Tunisia and now Nigeria.

Cruyff told
reporters afterwards that the game, played at Espanyol's Cornella-El
Prat ground in front of over 27,000 fans, and featuring stars including
Xavi Hernandez, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Joan Capdevila and Bojan
Krkic, would likely bring down the curtain on his coaching career.

"I do not think I will coach again," Cruyff said. "I do not see
myself on another bench. Although I always do too many things and I am
not going to be bored."

"I was very happy to do it. The players always wanted to be here. I am proud to have coached Catalonia."

When
asked whether former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola would now succeed him
as coach of the Catalan side, the Dutchman said it was probably a bit
early for that to happen yet.

"Guardiola would be the ideal coach,
but he is still very young for this," Cruyff said. "It now appears he
is going to coach in England. If that happens he would not have time to
take charge of Catalonia."